The Arizona sentinel., 1887-02-26
A BAD CUSTOM.
Some Reasons Why g Man Should Not
 Loan His Lighted Cigar.

Some Reasons Why g Man Should Not
 Loan His Lighted Cigar.
 A placid and callow-looking young
 man, who wore a silk hat, a fur
 trimmed coat, light over-g gaiters, and
 patent leather shoes, tripped nimbly up
 to well-fed man seated in the Lindell
 Hotel lobby and raised mutilated
 ''snipe" to his lips with, "A light, if
 you please?" The well-fed man con-
 tinued to work his half-smoked cigar
 while he made careful search of
 seven of his pockets for match. The
 placid dude kept an uneasy gaze at the
 burning cigar. Two minutes passed in
 that way, and the well-fed man was
 tired, and he showed it.
 "I haven't match, but you can probably get light at the cigar stand, said he, rising to point out to the young man an alcohol blaze not ten steps away.
 Beg VT pawdon," gasped the cal low one, while a flush of indignation chased over his face.
 The well-fed man resumed his seat and pufed away serenely at his cigar. There seemed to be nothing new to him in the occurrence, but it was not com mon, and those about recognized it as q rare instance of courage, and it was the theme for the next half-hour's chat
 That was right" observed the first to speak, "and, though it is little in- novation of the popular custom, it is a common-sense act. always carry matches for the benefit of my friends, as well as for myself, that may be able to smoke my own cigar, but if chance to be caught without match never have the courage to refuse to turn over my cigar when asked for light ] consider it impertinence to ask man for light off his cigar, but custom has established that impertinence so firmly you are criticised if you attempt to in- augurate new era for smokers. "
 ''It is an old, weather beaten and foolish idea that courtesy makes it nec- essary to let every stranger, without consideration of his occupation, handle your cigar" offered a gentleman on the other side of the well-fed man. 'H am smoking a cigar and it is half or three-quarters burned, am not going to let stranger handle it and then re- turn it to my mouth. A gentleman who thinks before he acts would not expect me to, and when happen to be with out a match and do not feel flush enough to buy another cigar, politely inform the man that 1 am without a match. It is only occasionally you run upon a man who is so rude as to ask you why you don't give him your cigar.
 ''But if he should?"
 "Well, in that case my explanation is adapted to the length of time have to spend with the person. There are thousand and one objections to the practice
 "It was only yesterday" interrupted an attentive listener, ''that I saw physician stop cutting the diseased flesh of a patient and light cigar. Three minutes later a man dropped around and asked the physician for light. He gave it to him. would not have touched his cigar, nor would I have allowed him to touch one I was for man is naturally care less animal. There is an immense num- Der of persons whose business it is to handle poisonous substances, and in addition to these there are not few who accidentally touch a matter of which small particle will taint a cigar. The most minute speak of poison will cling to the moistened part of a cigar, and, touched to a chapped lips, may destroy your comfort and the beauty of your face for weeks. The drug clerk. pounding prescriptions in which are deadly poisons, runs out to get one of the ingredients at another corner, and while on the way considers it his unquestioned privilege, under the present custom, to ask you for light. The chemist, the scientist, the phy- sician and mechanics employed in cer- tain kinds of labor are equally danger ous men to give or receive a light from. One workman may have brass lust on his fingers as he goes home from work, but he does not consider that. I will, and hereafter my cigar will be inviolate. "-St. Louis Repub- | licGn.